Disk recording-and-reproducing device

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is an improved disk recording-and-reproducing device including a box-like casing and a lid hinged to the casing to rotate about its pivot for opening and closing the casing. The lid has a disk holder and a swingable L-shaped lever both fixed to its rear side. The swingable lever has its upper flat shelf to support a disk when inserted in the disk holder. Also, it has a rubber boss fixed to its lower end, thereby making the lever stand upright in parallel with the rear side of the lid when the disk is opened. On the other hand, the casing has a counter projection formed in confronting relation with the lower end of the lever, thus making it swing about its pivot apart from the lower end of the disk holder when the lid shuts.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a device for recording and reproducing data from a disk such as a CD or DVD, and more particularly to a small-sized recording-and-reproducing device.

[0003] 2. Related Art

[0004]FIG. 4 shows a small-sized disk recording-and-reproducing device commercially available. As shown, it comprises a casing and a lid 1 hinged to the casing to open and close the casing. The lid 1 has a display 2 formed on its flat surface. The casing contains a recording-and-reproducing unit 3, which is partly exposed to confront the display 2 when the lid 1 is closed. The lid 1 is rotatable about its pivots 7, 7 to open and close the casing. When the lid 1 is inclined outward in its opening position, a disk 5 can be put in or taken out from the opening space 4 defined between the casing and the inclined lid 1.

[0005] As seen from FIG. 5, the lid 1 has a “kangaroo” pocket-like disk holder 6 formed on its rear side. The disk holder 6 has a circular disk-catch projection 8 formed at the center of the lid 1. FIG. 6 shows the casing with the lid 1 removed therefrom. The recording-and-reproducing unit 3 is contained in the casing, and the turntable 9 appears on the front side of the casing. The disk 5 put in the disk holder 6 is sandwiched between the disk-catch projection 8 and the turntable 9 when the lid 1 is closed.

[0006] The disk recording-and-reproducing device as described above can have a minimum thickness; the device can be loaded with a disk manually, thus requiring no automatic loading unit, which comprises a disk tray and a tray drive. When the lid 1 is open, the disk 5 can be taken out from the opening space 4 between the casing and the lid 1, as described earlier. The disk 5 is put in the disk holder 5, and then the lid 1 is closed. In the closing position the disk 5 is held on the center by the hub of the turntable 9, and it is kept free of any interference from the surrounding things. Therefore, there is no fear of being damaged.

[0007] Referring to FIGS. 7(a) and 7(b), the disk 5 is put in the disk holder 6 of the inclined lid 1 (see FIG. 7a), and then, the lid 1 shuts to put the disk 5 on the turntable 9 (FIG. 7b). As seen from FIG. 7(a), the center hub of the turntable 9 is so chamfered that the disk 5 may be drawn and fitted onto the chamfered hub when the disk 5 is brought close to the turntable 9.

[0008] The range within which the disk 5 can be drawn and automatically centered relative to the hub of the turntable 9 is very limited, and therefore, when the disk 5 is not brought close enough to get in the limited range, it may be pinched between the turntable 9 and the disk-catch projection 8 in off-center position, taking a somewhat inclined posture. This will be a cause for damaging the disk.

[0009] One object of the present invention is to provide a disc recording-and-reproducing device which is capable of automatically putting a disk in centering position relative to the hub of the turntable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] To attain this object a disk recording-and-reproducing device comprising a box-like casing and a lid hinged to the casing to rotate about its pivot for opening and closing the casing, the lid having a disk holder fixed to its rear side, is improved according to the present invention in that the lid has a swingable lever rotatably fixed to the rear side of the lid at the bottom of the disk holder, the swingable lever having a resilient boss such as a rubber piece fixed to its lower end, thereby making the swingable lever stand upright in parallel with the rear side of the lid when the disk is opened; and that the casing has a projection formed in confronting relation with the lower end of the swingable lever, the projection having an inclined top descending toward the free end so that the swingable lever is pushed on the lower side by the inclined top to slide thereon just before the lid completely shut, thus making the swingable lever swing about its pivot apart from the lower end of the disk holder.

[0011] On inserting the disk 5 in the disk holder 6 and then shutting the lid 1, the central hole of the disk 5 is led to the center hub of the turntable 9 making the swingable lever 10 rotate about its pivots 11, 11; the swingable lever 10 is pushed on the lower side by the inclined top 14 a of the projection 14 to slide thereon just before the lid 1 completely shut. Thus, when the disk 5 is held between the turntable 9 and disk-catch projection 8, the swingable lever 10 is apart from the rectangular notch 6 a of the bottom of the disk holder 6, thus putting the disk 5 free in position

[0012] The swingable lever may be an L-shaped piece having its upper flat shelf for supporting a disk when inserted in the disk holder.

[0013] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be understood from the following description of a disk recording-and-reproducing device according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, which is shown in accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0014]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the lid of a disk recording-and-reproducing device according to the present invention as viewed from the inside of the device;

[0015]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a swingable lever attached to the lower edge of the disk holder of the lid;

[0016]FIG. 3(a) is a longitudinal section of the disk recording-and-reproducing device with its lid opened, whereas FIG. 3(b) is a similar longitudinal section of the disk recording-and-reproducing device with its lid closed;

[0017]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the disk recording-and-reproducing device with its lid opened;

[0018]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the lid of a conventional disk recording-and-reproducing device as viewed from the inside of the device;

[0019]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the conventional device with its lid removed, showing some parts of the device appearing on the front of the casing; and

[0020]FIG. 7(a) is a longitudinal section of the conventional device with its lid opened, whereas FIG. 7(b) is a similar longitudinal section of the conventional device with its lid closed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0021] A recording-and-reproducing device according to the present invention is of a small-sized disk device having a minimum thickness as seen from FIG. 3, which basically similar to the conventional one. It comprises a box-like casing and a lid 1 hinged to the casing to rotate about its pivot for opening and dosing the casing. As seen from FIG. 1, the lid 1 has a disk holder 6 fixed to its rear side. The disk holder 6 has a disk-catch projection 8 at its center for holding a disk 5 between a confronting turntable 9 of the recording-and-reproducing unit 3. A rectangular notch 6 a is formed at the bottom of the disk holder 6. Also, the lid 1 has round pivot projections 7, 7 projecting from its opposite lower corners. The lid 1 has a swingable lever 10 rotatably fixed to the rear side of the lid 1 with its shelf (later described) in the rectangular notch 6 a of the disk holder 6.

[0022] Referring to FIG. 2, the swingable lever 10 is an L-shaped piece having its upper flat shelf 12 for supporting the disk 5 when inserted in the disk holder 6. The lever 10 has round pivot bosses 11, 11 projecting from its opposite intermediate portions, and these pivot bosses 11 are fitted in the counter bearings 11 a, 11 a, which are made at lower end of the disk holder 6 (see FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b)). Thus, the swingable lever 10 can swing about its pivot bosses 11. The swingable lever 10 has a resilient boss 13 such as a rubber piece fixed to its lower end, particularly below the pivot axle 11, thereby making the swingable lever 10 stand upright in parallel with the rear side of the lid 1 when the lid is opened (see FIG. 3a). When a disk 5 is inserted in the disk holder 6, it stays on the flat shelf 12, so that it may be put in exact position relative to the hub of the turntable 9 when the lid 1 is closed.

[0023] As seen from FIG. 3, the casing has a projection 14 formed in confronting relation with the lower end of the swingable lever 10. The projection 14 has an inclined top 14 a descending toward the free end. On inserting the disk 5 in the disk holder 6 and then shutting the lid 1, the central hole of the disk 5 is led to the center hub of the turntable 9 making the swingable lever 10 rotate about its pivots 11, 11; the swingable lever 10 is pushed on the lower side by the inclined top 14 a of the projection 14 to slide thereon just before the lid 1 completely shut. Thus, when the disk 5 is held between the turntable 9 and disk-catch projection 8, the swingable lever 10 is apart from the rectangular notch 6 a of the bottom of the disk holder 6, thus putting the disk 5 free in position (see FIG. 3b).

[0024] As may be understood from the above, advantageously the allowance for making disk recording-and-reproducing devices is less severe in respect of centering the disk relative to the hub of the turntable than before. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A disk recording-and-reproducing device comprising a box-like casing and a lid hinged to the casing to rotate about its pivot for opening and closing the casing, the lid having a disk holder fixed to its rear side, wherein the lid has a swingable lever rotatably fixed to rear side of the lid at the bottom of the disk holder, the swingable lever having a resilient boss such as a rubber piece fixed to its lower end, thereby making the swingable lever stand upright in parallel with the rear side of the lid when the disk is opened; and the casing has a projection formed in confronting relation with the lower end of the swingable lever, the projection having an inclined top descending toward the free end so that the swingable lever is pushed on the lower side by the inclined top to slide thereon just before the lid completely shut, thus making the swingable lever swing about its pivot apart from the lower end of the disk holder.
 2. A disk recording-and-reproducing device according to claim 1, wherein the swingable lever is an L-shaped piece having its upper flat shelf for supporting a disk when inserted in the disk holder. 